Summary

Praise for the previous edition: "Highly recommended..."--;Choice The United States has often been referred to as a "nation of immigrants"--at some point in almost everyone's ancestry, someone journeyed to the land that is now the United States. Upon arrival, immigrants encountered people from different cultures, who often maintained different religious, social, and political beliefs, and they began viewing each other as potential rivals for jobs and opportunities. Immigration, now a volume in the American Experience series, examines the history of immigrants in the United States, updating their stories to the present. Coverage has now been extended to the years after the closing of Ellis Island, focusing on such contemporary issues as the experiences of illegal immigrants and the transformation of immigration law since September 11, 2001. This comprehensive volume presents the voices of immigrants as well as data on immigration in this country. Each chapter in Immigration begins with a detailed narrative section that chronicles the experiences of those who traveled to the United States as well as the reactions of religious and political leaders, social workers, and more. A chronology of events highlights important dates in the history of immigration in the United States. Eyewitness testimonies include passages from Thomas Jefferson, Jacob Riis, and Anna Quindlen, as well as hundreds of accounts from immigrants, social workers, politicians, and many others. Appendixes provide concise biographies of more than 100 important individuals, such as Benjamin Franklin, Jane Addams, and Cesar Chavez; as well as primary source documents, either full text or excerpts; a glossary; maps, graphs and tables; notes; a thorough bibliography; and an index. Immigration is enhanced throughout by more than 110 black-and-white images, portraying immigration in this country.

Table of Contents

Colonists and Immigrants: 1607-1700

p. 1

The Colonies Expand: 1701-1775

p. 33

The American Revolution and After: 1776-1813

p. 64

Beginnings of Mass Immigration: 1814-1860

p. 94

The Civil War and After: 1861-1880

p. 134

The "New Immigration": 1881-1918

p. 168

The "Immigrant Problem" and the Federal Government: 1890-1921

p. 214

The Door Closes: 1922-1945

p. 251

Some Windows Open: 1946-1954

p. 285

After Ellis Island: 1955-1999

p. 308

Immigration in the New Century: 2000 and Beyond

p. 336

Documents

p. 365

Biographies of Major Personalities

p. 395

Maps

p. 413

Graphs and Tables

p. 419

Glossary

p. 435

Bibliography

p. 439

Index

p. 457

Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Praise for the previous edition:Highly recommended...—ChoiceThe United States has often been referred to as a nation of immigrants—at some point in almost everyone's ancestry, someone journeyed to the land that is now the United States. Upon arrival, immigrants encountered people from different cultures, who often maintained different religious, social, and political beliefs, and who often perceived the newcomers as potential rivals for jobs and opportunities. Immigration examines the history of immigrants in the United States, updating their stories to the present. Coverage has now been extended to the years after the closing of Ellis Island, focusing on such contemporary issues as the experiences of illegal immigrants and the transformation of immigration law since September 11, 2001. This comprehensive volume presents the voices of immigrants as well as data on immigration to this country.Each chapter in Immigration begins with a detailed narrative section that chronicles the experiences of those who traveled to the United States as well as the reactions of religious and political leaders, social workers, and more. A chronology of events highlights important dates in the history of immigration. Eyewitness testimonies include passages from Thomas Jefferson, Jacob Riis, and Anna Quindlen, as well as hundreds of accounts from immigrants, social workers, politicians, and many others. Appendixes provide concise biographies of more than 100 important individuals, such as Benjamin Franklin, Jane Addams, and Cesar Chavez; as well as primary source documents, either full text or excerpts; a glossary; maps; graphs and tables; a thorough bibliography; and an index. Immigration is enhanced throughout by more than 110 black-and-white images, portraying immigration and immigrants in this country.